Mount Rainier NP SCA Community Crews

The summary for the Mount Rainier NP SCA Community Crews grant is detailed below. This summary states who is eligible for the grant, how much grant money will be awarded, current and past deadlines, Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) numbers, and a sampling of similar government grants. Verify the accuracy of the data FederalGrants.com provides by visiting the webpage noted in the Link to Full Announcement section or by contacting the appropriate person listed as the Grant Announcement Contact. If any section is incomplete, please visit the website for the National Park Service, which is the U.S. government agency offering this grant.

Mount Rainier NP SCA Community Crews: NOTICE OF INTENT TO AWARD

This Funding Announcement is not a request for applications. This announcement is to provide public notice of the National Park Service’s intention to fund the following project activities without full and open competition.

ABSTRACT
Funding Announcement NPS-NOI-MORA-P15AS00822
Project Title Mount Rainier NP SCA Community Crews
Recipient Student Conservation Association
Principle Investigator / Program Manager
Jim Ziolkowski
Total Anticipated Award Amount $62,784
Cost Share N/A
New Award or Continuation? New Task Agreement on Cooperative Agreement P15AC00031 Mod 001
Anticipated Length of Agreement 11 weeks
Anticipated Period of Performance 6/22/2015 through 9/06/2015
Award Instrument Task Agreement written on Cooperative Agreement P15AC00031
Statutory Authority 54 U.S.C. §101702(a) Cooperative Agreements, Transfer of Service Appropriated Funds, 16 U.S.C.§ 1723 (c): Public Land Corps
CFDA # and Title 15.931 Conservation Activities by Youth Service Organization
Single Source Justification Criteria Cited (4) Unique Qualifications
NPS Point of Contact Pam Griffin
Financial Assistance Officer
Mount Rainier National Park
55210 238th Ave. E
Ashford, WA 98304
Office: 360-569-6541


OVERVIEW

Student Conservation Association (SCA) Community Crew duties include:

• Crew members will assist Mount Rainier trail crews with regular trail maintenance tasks, including clearing trail tread and corridor of limbs, rocks, woody debris and downed trees; cleaning trail drainage facilities, including side ditches, drain logs, drain dips and culverts; clearing trailside vegetation and performing minor tread repairs.
• All trail work will be performed in compliance with the Mount Rainier Trail Management Handbook. SCA crew members will not use power tools (e.g. chainsaws) and will not construct new trail structures where such structures did not exist, without permission from the Trails Foreman. While working on trails, volunteers must wear identification (volunteer or SCA nametag, cap or uniform).
• Safety is critical to an efficient operation. Crew members must practice safe work habits and use proper Personal Protective Equipment. Safe work practices include using proper lifting procedures and wearing good footwear and proper clothing. Also, watch out for visitors and other workers, and watch out for yourself.

The project addresses the public purposes of engaging members of the public (especially urban youth) as participants in the stewardship of their national park; and completing needed maintenance and repairs of park-wide recreational trails.

Education through experience is one of the prime components of these SCA positions. Mount Rainier will acquaint our crew members with wilderness ethics, resource management policies, bear awareness, and federal land management principles; and will discuss with them the options for further internships, volunteer service, or employment with agencies like the National Park Service.


RECIPIENT INVOLVEMENT

The Student Conservation Association agrees to:
1. Provide three 10-person crews including leaders that will each work tours of 11 work days during July, August, and possibly late June, who will build, repair, and maintain trails at sites in Mount Rainier National Park under the Division of Maintenance.
2. Provide for transportation to and from Mount Rainier National Park and to and from work sites within the park.
3. Provide lodging and subsistence during the tour of duty.
4. Repair trails (including some new construction) to the standards of the National Park Service.
5. Provide personal protective equipment for trail work.
6. Comply with the financial requirements of Article V.



NATIONAL PARK SERVICE INVOLVEMENT
NPS agrees to:
1. Provide specification, supervision and evaluation for all projects.
2. Provide general orientation to park operations and NPS mission.
3. Provide primary emergency response for all incidents and /or accidents.
4. Assist with necessary internal park communications through the provision of radios.
5. Provide tools for use on projects.
6. Provide camp sites.
7. Provide financial assistance in accordance with Article V.



SINGLE-SOURCE JUSTIFICATION

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
SINGLE SOURCE POLICY REQUIREMENTS

Department of the Interior Policy (505 DM 2) requires a written justification which explains why competition is not practicable for each single-source award. The justification must address one or more of the following criteria as well as discussion of the program legislative history, unique capabilities of the proposed recipient, and cost-sharing contribution offered by the proposed recipient, as applicable.


In order for an assistance award to be made without competition, the award must satisfy one or more of the following criteria:

(1) Unsolicited Proposal – The proposed award is the result of an unsolicited assistance application which represents a unique or innovative idea, method, or approach which is not the subject of a current or planned contract or assistance award, but which is deemed advantageous to the program objectives;

(2) Continuation – The activity to be funded is necessary to the satisfactory completion of, or is a continuation of an activity presently being funded, and for which competition would have a significant adverse effect on the continuity or completion of the activity;

(3) Legislative intent – The language in the applicable authorizing legislation or legislative history clearly indicates Congress’ intent to restrict the award to a particular recipient of purpose;

(4) Unique Qualifications – The applicant is uniquely qualified to perform the activity based upon a variety of demonstrable factors such as location, property ownership, voluntary support capacity, cost-sharing ability if applicable, technical expertise, or other such unique qualifications;

(5) Emergencies – Program/award where there is insufficient time available (due to a compelling and unusual urgency, or substantial danger to health or safety) for adequate competitive procedures to be followed.



The National Park Service will award a task agreement to the Student Conservation Association based on the following exception.

(4) Unique Qualifications – SCA is uniquely qualified to perform the activity based upon demonstrated factors, specifically past performance and experience with conservation crews completing similar project work, and other unique qualifications as outlined in this document. The National Park Service, Mount Rainier National Park, intends to award a Task Agreement (TA) to support youth development opportunities in the National Park Service through volunteer service and leadership experience at Mount Rainier National Park. The SCA Community Crews will work in with the Trail’s Division within the Maintenance Division providing a wide range of experience and education in different skill sets. This task agreement will be written on the current cooperative agreement (P15AC00031 Mod 001) in place with the Student Conservation Association.

STAUTORY AUTHORITY

54 U.S.C. 101702(a) provides that the National Park Service may enter into cooperative agreements that involve the transfer of National Park Service appropriated funds to State, local and tribal governments, other public entities, educational institutions, and private nonprofit organizations for the public purpose of carrying out National Park Service programs pursuant to 31 U.S.C. 6305 to carry out public purposes of National Park Service programs.